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Date(s)

Item

May 1991

The indigenous people of Argentina were represented in the International Indigenous Commission (CII), based in Geneva, which supports an indigenous perspective on bio-diversity. The 1991 conference was held in Argentina.

Aug 1991

The Wichi Indians of the Chaco province presented a map of their territory to the governor of Salta in order to gain officially demarcated land. Wichi land has been settled by non-indigenous people, fenced off and thus reducing the amount of arable land for the group. The governor signed a decree for 400,000 hectares of land and confirmed that they should be awarded a single communal title for it. Due to a change in governors after the election, the Wichi have still not received their land. The map was created with help from a Cultural Survival (U.S.-based) team of anthropologists, who recorded the oral history of this group and worked with them for 6 months.

Aug 1992

200 Mapuche Indians from Chile and Argentina met in Neuquen to discuss the future unification of the Mapuche nation. The group is divided between those who support allegiance to their governments and those who want complete autonomy and unification as one nation. This report also stated that the average Mapuche Indians earns $500 per year, primarily from agriculture or sheep herding. The land on which they live is the Atraico reservation. However, much of this land has been fenced off by landowners, thus prohibiting usage of the land by the Mapuches. Disease and deaths have been reported high among this group.

1994

The Wichi Indian representative traveled to Geneva to represent the case of land demarcation for his group in front of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The organization for the Wichi Indians is called Thaka Honat and formed to represent the Wichi at all levels of government within the country.

Oct 1994

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that cholera was increasing in Argentina. The disease spread due to Bolivian migration (where the disease was rampant due to contaminated water) into the country. The disease affected a large percentage of indigenous peoples in the northwest.

Nov 1994

In San Antonio de los Cobres, the Coya Indians have established a handmade indigenous crafts market for tourists who visit the Andean town. They pledged their allegiance to Argentina, but also stated their pride as being Coya Indians. Most of the village's 4,000 indigenous residents do not have electricity or running water. Privatization of the mining industry in this region has caused high rates of unemployment for these people.

Mar 1995

The U.S. Department of State reported that the revised Argentinean constitution incorporates international agreements intended to promote economic, political, social, and cultural rights for indigenous peoples. Although this provision was established, the court system was reported to delay land disputes of indigenous peoples, and social discrimination was reported as well.

Jun 1995

Cultural Survival and the Wichi Indians continued to work towards land demarcation for the group by petitioning government leaders and again speaking at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. No demarcation has been made for these people to date.